Transcaelum- Across Heaven
by MotherOfStories
Summary: Starts at the time of Outbound Flight and goes through to the Thrawn trilogy. This will be a mostly AU fic, features an ofc along with cannon characters and possible Mary Sueness. Read at your own risk.
1. Chapter 1

One minute, the _Bargain Hunter_ had been transporting goods to Drixo the Hutt on the fringes of the Outer Rim and then the next they were being attacked by Drixo's rival Progga. Dubrak Qennto swore colorfully as he operated the weapons with Maris Ferasi, Jorj Car'das trying feverishly to calculate the jump to lightspeed under pressure. Seni Verath shook her head as she watched over her half-brother Jorj's shoulder while he disregarded proper procedures and pulled the lever in desperation. Dubrak was beside himself with fury when they found themselves in the Unknown Regions upon emerging from hyperspace, Maris immediately defending Jorj's panicked decision.

"Guys, I think we have a bigger problem." Seni interrupted dryly as Progga's ship appeared, evidently having followed them somehow. The Hutt hailed them, demanding the surrender of their goods, but his false promises of sparing them fell on deaf ears as they tried to figure a way out. The hyperdive required a lot of repair from being hit before the jump and the engines couldn't get them very far due to similar damage, leaving them with very limited options.

Dubrak swore again. "Someone distract Progga while I think of a plan."

Seni noticed a strange ship appear just as their ship completely lost power. "You really need to be careful what you wish for, Qennto."

"And you should watch your mouth, half-"

"Don't talk to my sister that way!" Jorj snarled as Progga's ship exploded after the Hutt stupidly fired on the strange alien ship.

Dubrak opened his mouth, no doubt to say something insulting when he was stopped by a tractor beam locking on the _Bargain Hunter_ and pulling it into the hanger bay of the beings who would either be their rescuers or their deaths. They had no choice but to leave the ship after some arguing, finding the air breathable and a line of blue skinned and glowing red eyed aliens wearing black uniforms waiting for them in a nonthreatening manner.

Seni noticed that they had colored patches on their right upper arms and different pins on their collars, which she assumed indicated rank. She also noticed the alien soldiers had formed the line to keep them headed in the direction they wanted, which was to what looked like a private office where another blue skinned alien sat, watching them intently as they entered. The pins on his collar were more elaborate than the others she'd seen, so when Dubrak opened his mouth to be rude, she turned to glare at him. "This is probably the commanding officer, be disrespectful and you'll never get your payment because they'll kill us."

The alien raised a blue-black eyebrow, which told them he didn't understand Basic. He gestured to the chairs in front of his desk, then folded his hands together like he was waiting to see what happened next.

Seni exchanged glances with her brother and they took the seats offered while Dubrak glowered beside a curious Maris. "We could try some trade languages?"

Jorj nodded. "Good idea." He began inquiring in the different ones he knew with no response. He was obviously starting to worry he wouldn't find one they understood because he was running out of other languages he spoke, eventually getting to the last one. "Sy Bisti?"

"That will do." The alien replied in the language, surveying them coolly. "I am Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo of the Chiss Expansionary Defense Force, but you may address me by my core name Thrawn if that is easier. Why are you all doing in our sector?"

"Commander Thrawn, I'm Jorj Car'das, pilot for the _Bargain Hunter_. This is my half sister Seni Verath who acts as my assistant and over there are Captain Dubrak Qennto and Second in Command Maris Ferasi." He gestured to each of them as they were introduced. Seni managed a small smile and Maris gave a nod, elbowing Dubrak who grunted an acknowledgement. "We are here because that other ship you destroyed was attacking us in the Outer Rim, I made a badly calculated jump to hyperspace and we ended up here. Unfortunately, our attacker followed us too and the jump damaged our ship even more."

"And why was the other ship attacking you?"

Jorj looked unsure of how to answer the question, so Seni decided on as close to the truth as she could get without making Dubrak want to kill her. "We refused to do business with them and they found out where we were, sir."

Mitth'raw'nuruodo nodded, though he didn't look entirely convinced as he asked: "Your tone to your Captain indicated you knew I was the one in charge, how did you come to that conclusion?"

"The pins on you collar are more elaborate than the others." She gestured to his uniform. "Each one I saw was different in design, so I assumed it was indication of rank. Even without that, it seemed pretty obvious since the soldiers were forming a line purposefully to this room where you were holding yourself like a leader."

"Impressive attention to detail." Mitth'raw'nuruodo studied her for a moment. "What did you say that prevented him from speaking?"

She felt self conscious and imagined Dubrak would be more unpleasant to her than usual for the next week or so, but she didn't care. "I told him if he was rude, you would kill us and then he wouldn't be able to do business with anyone."

"You were correct. Are you traveling merchants?"

Jorj nodded. "Yes, sir. We usually have luxury items like clothing, but we're out of most of our stock."

Mitth'raw'nuruodo looked at him, then Seni as if debating whether or not they spoke the truth. "Very well. Since your ship is badly damaged, you may stay in guest quarters as we travel back to my base. It would not be safe for you to drift in space while trying to make repairs."

"Thank you, Captain Thrawn." Jorj said, shooting Dubrak a warning glance because he looked like he wanted to protest.

They were shown to different rooms and Seni found she couldn't sleep, so she went to the _Bargain Hunter_ to get her art bag. She froze as she saw Mitth'raw'nuruodo inside with two other Chiss who had found the secret compartments with fire crystals Dubrak was smuggling for Drixo. His glowing red eyes rested on her and she met his gaze. "I see you figured out what I was hinting at."

"I could see you were hesitant to speak freely in the presence of your captain. I assume he gave you orders to tell no one about your real cargo?"

"Yes, he did. He's very paranoid about people stealing his steady income."

Mitth'raw'nuruodo inclined his head. "He was tense in the manner of someone hiding something, but why are you disobeying orders by speaking to me?"

She felt her lips twitch. "Because I prefer being honest. Besides, I technically never told you about the secret holds or what we were carrying in them, getting around the orders. Captain Qennto would see it differently, but he has never liked me."

"I noticed he dislikes anyone different, even you who look more like them except for your pointed ears. May I?"

She felt her cheeks warm as he gestured to the ears she'd inherited from her father, nodding. His touch was soft and his expression so intrigued, she couldn't help but smile a little. "Never seen a half Sephi before?"

"No, I cannot say I have. What are Sephi?"

"A long lived Near-Human race that are part of the Galactic Republic. Being half human, I probably won't live to be two hundred, but I will definitely age slower thanks to my Sephi half."

He nodded. "And which side gave you an artistic and tactical eye?"

She grabbed her bag from beside where she usually sat. "Both, actually. My father was attracted to my mother due to her attention to detail, which led to them marrying. A lot of people were scandalized because he had been her art teacher there on Corellia, not to mention being several years her senior at one hundred while she was still in her thirties."

He raised a blue-black eyebrow fractionally. "Chiss sometimes do not marry till they are considered old and the spouse is either close in age or younger, so I fail to see how that is a problem, even if the age differences aren't so drastic."

"Well humans as a general rule love to make a big deal about that sort of thing. It's stupid in my opinion, but that's because I grew up in a home where we were taught to keep an open mind."

"I noticed you and your brother were the only ones willing to try communicating."

She felt her lips twitch. "That's because we usually handle the diplomatic side of traveling. Captain Qennto isn't exactly talented on that front."

"How did he ever get business before he employed you two?" Mitth'raw'nuruodo asked incredulously.

"Probably let his girlfriend do all the talking. Maris is actually pretty nice so I don't know how she ended up with him, but love is sometimes strange."

She could have sworn Mitth'raw'nuruodo looked a little surprised. "I would have never guessed they were in a relationship."

She laughed softly. "Yeah, they're not exactly public about it. Last time Maris spent time with another guy, Captain Qennto got very jealous though."

"Wouldn't it be better for them if they got married?"

"I think so, but their relationship is none of my business." She realized the other two Chiss were still there, watching as they conversed and it dawned on her she was talking a little too casually with their commander, which could be viewed as disrespectful. "Well Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo, I thank you for your time and hospitality. I should get to bed now."

He looked impressed she had managed to say his full name properly. "Of course, Seni Verath." He turned to the others and said something to them in another language she didn't recognize, making them nod. "It is a pleasure speaking with you. May I walk you back to your room?"

She hoped she wasn't blushing as she nodded. "I would appreciate that, Commander. I'd hate to get lost and have to ask for directions, hoping whoever it was understands Sy Bisti."

"Most of my officers do, but not all of them are keen to have a species we're not familiar with aboard our ship."

"I can't say I blame them, especially since we arrived under the guise of merchants." She sighed softly as they walked together. "I dislike when Qennto makes us claim that smuggling is the same thing as being a regular seller."

He studied her for a moment, stopping in front of the door to her room. "I doubt he sees the difference."

She couldn't help laughing a bit. "You know Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo, you read people you just met pretty well."

"Thank you. You say my full name perfectly for someone who is not a Chiss."

"I have a knack for being able to catch on to how alien races say their names, sir. It adds a level of respect most people don't bother showing."

He smiled just visibly. "It has not gone unnoticed. Good night, Seni Verath."

She definitely was blushing as she opened the door. "You know...you can just call me Seni."

"In that case, you may simply call me Thrawn when we are alone."

"If you insist." She managed to say calmly, liking the idea of more private conversations with him. When he inclined his head, her cheeks colored more. "Good night, Thrawn." She stepped inside and her last view was of him framed by the doorway impressively. _I know who I want to draw next._ She thought as she felt a yawn, crawling into bed and drifting off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

When Seni woke, it felt like the whole conversation with Mitth'raw'nuruodo had been a dream till she saw her art bag sitting next to her bed. She sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes when something similar to a door chime rang through the room, so she got up and opened the door. The Chiss soldier standing there she recognized as one of the ones that had been aboard the _Bargain Hunter_ and he snapped to attention when he saw her. "Can I help you?" She asked hesitantly in Sy Bisti since Mitth'raw'nuruodo had indicated most of his crew understood it.

"Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo has requested you and your brother's presence in Visual Forward." He replied in the same language with a heavy accent, some of the words pronounced more slowly like it wasn't as familiar to him as his native tongue. "We will go get your brother now."

She nodded, following the soldier to her brother's room down the hall. She shrugged at Jorj's questioning glance when the message was repeated and when he joined them and leaned his head towards her, she told him about what had happened last night in a whisper. She could see he was worried what Dubrak might say if he found out, though honestly Seni wasn't concerned about that. She had gotten the impression from how quickly the Chiss vessel had knocked out the power on Progga's ship and destroyed them with a single blast that Mitth'raw'nuruodo and his crew were the ones not to be trifled with, especially not in their own area of space. Dubrak might dump her off at some port when they got the _Bargain Hunter_ fixed, but these strange humanoids clearly had no qualms about completely annihilating anyone showing aggression towards them. Her thoughts were interrupted by their arrival to a room very similar in appearance of an observation deck on a fancy starliner, only much smaller with a curved couch a few inches shy of being as long as the room which faced a viewport that took up what should have been an entire wall on the other side. A table laden with food had been set in front of where Mitth'raw'nuruodo was seated on the very edge of the couch, silhouetted in the dimly lit room that made the view of hyperspace outside all the more breathtaking.

"Welcome to Visual Forward of the _Springhawk_. Please make yourselves comfortable." Mitth'raw'nuruodo gestured to the expanse of couch next to him as their guide departed. "Since I gathered you two were the diplomatic representatives of your ship, I wanted to ask you some questions in a more private setting than the dinning area."

"What kind of questions?" Jorj asked as they sat near him.

"Oh nothing serious." Mitth'raw'nuruodo assured, glowing red eyes all the more piercing in the dim light. "I just wanted to hear your point of view on what your crew actually does away from ears that should not hear such things. I am certain your sister mentioned to you that she stated hers."

Jorj glanced at her, then looked back at their host. "I got the gist. Quite honestly Commander, we are merchants and smugglers, though it is more often the latter of the two. Quennto gets our jobs straight from Drixo and total secrecy is a standing order in case we run into a rival Hutt or other forms of trouble, much like Progga who chased us into your area of space. May I ask you something?"

Mitth'raw'nuruodo inclined his head just visibly. "Of course, Jorj Car'das."

"How did you know or figure out what kind of job we were actually on?"

"Your ship was too small to be a regular merchant vessel, your lack of heavy weaponry leaned more towards relying on stealth, your Captain's stiffness during our entire conversation made it obvious he was hiding something, and the two of you looked uncomfortable when you were spoke the truth, which made it clear you weren't telling all of it."

Seni felt her brother shiver slightly next to her as she helped herself to some of the food. "Sounds like you already knew about the different classes of ships for most species, Commander."

He favored her with a small smile. "I was expecting you to come to that conclusion. Yes, I am very familiar with thousands of ship types, both in and out of this region. You are the first to show up in that section of space, however."

"That's not really a surprise, a lot of people from the Republic tend to stay there like it's the entire galaxy." Jorj said dryly between bites of food. "A very narrow minded point of view for those who claim they like to travel through the stars."

"Indeed." Mitth'raw'nuruodo agreed with a fractionally raised eyebrow. "But you two aren't like them. Among a strange race, you have been observant and willing to attempt communication which are very valuable traits. How long do you think it will take to repair the damage on your ship?"

Jorj shrugged. "Probably a couple weeks, since the hyperdrive and life support are severely damaged, all but one of our sensors are offline, not to mention the fact that hull needs extensive repairs."

Mitth'raw'nuruodo nodded. "During that time, I would like you two to teach me the language you two were communicating in on your arrival."

"You mean Basic? I guess we could do that since it's the primary language of the Republic, but in exchange for something of equal value." Seni sighed when her brother choked on his drink with a startled noise that sounded like he'd tried to talk. "Swallow before you try to object, Jorj. What do you think he will do with knowing Basic? Invade the Republic? He did say this was part of a defense fleet and they only took out Progga when he fired on them, though they clearly had the power to take both ships out without batting an eye lash."

Jorj cleared his throat and rubbed his chest. "Fair point, but don't you think it's a little too convenient that they showed up right when Progga was planning on killing us?"

Seni rolled her eyes. "If two strange ships showed up in your area without notice or reason, wouldn't you monitor the transmissions?"

"Your sister is right, Jorj Car'das. We had tapped into and were monitoring your transmissions the moment you landed in Chiss space and you're also right. I could tell from the tone of this Progga you speak of that when he said Captain Quennto's name he had absolutely no intention of letting any of you live, so we positioned ourselves to intervene. If we hadn't, you would all be dead and I wouldn't have the pleasure of your company."

"If you were able to pick Quennto's name out of a language you don't know at all, you'll learn Basic really fast." Jorj managed to say after he recovered from his evident surprise. "And I think that my sister was on to something when she said we needed an exchange of equal value in return. Not to mention our captain will want compensation for not having us there to help him."

"Since your captain is a material sort of person, I can part with some of our valuables to appease him. You two should at least learn to understand our common tongue of Cheunh so you can study more about the Chiss culture from our documents, though I don't know if you will be able to speak it as well as your sister Jorj Car'das, I noticed you haven't once tried to say my full name since we met." He held up a hand when Jorj opened his mouth. "There is no reason for you to apologise, I don't expect you to have the same talents. I can also teach you two Minnisiat, which is a trade language used extensively through and outside our jurisdiction."

Seni exchanged glances with her brother and he nodded his approval, so she said: "We have a bargain, Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo."

"Very good." Mitth'raw'nuruodo almost looked amused. "Let us finish our repast together and then we can proceed with the language lessons. I already took the liberty of having the consoles in your rooms unlocked so that you can study in your spare time."

Jorj stared at him. "You mean you already knew we'd ask for a compromise?"

Mitth'raw'nuruodo inclined his head. "You both already knew several languages, which you went through trying to find one that I spoke. Knowledge was clearly valued and since not telling the whole truth bothered you both, that meant you both like to deal fairly with others when you can and naturally you would inquire about a trade."

"You got all that from just talking to us?"

"As your sister has already observed, I'm very good at reading others. This talent among others has made my military career very successful thus far." He rose to his feet when they were done eating. "I will let you speak with your captain about our arrangement. In the meantime, I will look into setting aside a room for us to have our lessons."

"What's wrong with this one, Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo?" Seni felt her cheeks color when his eyes settled on her and she hoped she hadn't asked a stupid question.

He considered her thoughtfully for a moment, then smiled faintly. "Nothing, actually. While we have soldiers in here during battle as sentinels against things technology can miss, those are times we wouldn't be having our lessons. I'll set it up for us to have this room during the normal standard day hours while we on board. Once we are on the base, perhaps a similar room can be reserved."

"And how long will it take to get there?" Jorj winced when Seni elbowed him hard and added quickly: "If you don't mind my asking, Commander Mitthan- er Thrawn."

"A few days." Mitth'raw'nuruodo replied cryptically, showing no emotion to almost having his name butchered. "I don't expect you to address me by my full name, Jorj Car'das. While it's not usually permissable for those unfamiliar or not of the same rank to be so informal, I am willing to make exceptions on occasion and this is one of them."

"You can just call me Jorj if you're willing to be less formal."

Mitth'raw'nuruodo nodded in acknowledgement and walked with them through the door. "Once a time has been decided upon, I will send someone to notify you both."

Seni's happy feeling drained away upon seeing Dubrak's expression as he marched down the hall. He stopped short with a scowl and jerked his thumb in a way that said he wanted to talk privately. She turned back to Mitth'raw'nuruodo. "Excuse us Commander, I think our conversation with the captain needs to happen now."

"Of course."

Seni felt his eyes on them as they followed Dubrak back to the _Bargain Hunter_ and she wondered what he was so upset about.

"So what did that Commander want?" He looked even less pleased when Jorj explained the deal they'd made. "Well at least you made sure we'll be getting valuable goods, even if it's not a lot of them. I still don't like the idea of you teaching a Non-Human we know nothing about Basic, but whatever happens will be on your head."

Jorj shrugged. "Doubt anything bad will happen. Why did you want to talk to us?"

Dubrak grunted. "It might be my imagination, but it almost feels like something has been moved in the ship. Was there a hint these freaks found our loot?"

"No, why? Was any of it missing?" Jorj surprised Seni by asking casually.

"No." Dubrak eyed them both. "But your sister's art bag is gone."

"That's because I came back for it after we were shown to our rooms last night."

"Found your way through an alien ship, did you?"

"So did you."

Dubrak shrugged. "That I did. Just make sure that whatever they give us is good enough to appease our clients because they're going to be furious we've been delayed by the need for extensive repairs."

Seni wanted to tell him he was lucky to get anything from the Chiss that he'd called freaks behind their backs, but knew she might as well say such things to a brick wall. Besides, the only reason Dubrak tolerated her was she knew a few more languages than her brother, which had made him a lot of profit in the Outter Rim. "Our host indicated we're the only ones to show up wherever we did near Republic space, so chances are high anything we get will fetch a lot of money." She didn't like the satisfied expression he had as he excused himself to talk to their clients, but what she had said was true and she didn't care what Dubrak told the Hutts as long as he didn't interfere with the deal they'd made. She looked at her brother and saw that he felt the same way, which at least was a small consolation.


	3. Chapter 3

The language exchange started later on the same day after their agreement with Mitth'raw'nuruodo or Thrawn as he'd asked both Seni and Jorj to call him, though his request to Seni had been on the much less formal side and conditional of private conversation, which hadn't happened since after their meeting. Thrawn had mentioned it would take a few days to get the base, so when two days had passed and there was no sign of their arrival, she wasn't surprised. They were in the middle of their latest class when another Chiss rushed in, hurriedly saluted and spoke very quickly in Cheunh. Seni recognized only a couple words, though the soldier's tone and the change in Thrawn's posture as he replied translated the rest. Someone or something was close by and they definitely weren't friendly. The _Springhawk_ dropped out of hyperspace, then made another jump faster than either of them could blink.

"How...?" Jorj gaped.

"I picked each member of my crew for their specific abilities and placed them where they could serve the Ascendency best." Thrawn rose to his feet and they followed suit. He took them to the bridge at a fast pace. "I am sorry to cut our lesson short, but one of our scouts sent out a distress signal and we are on an intercept course now. I wouldn't normally put you in harm's way, but the other ship's lightspeed engine was distroyed and we haven't a moment to lose."

Seni lost her footing when they emerged from hyperspace again so quickly the whole ship shook and a strong arm threaded through hers to help her keep her balance. Her eyes met Thrawn's and she swallowed the lump in her throat, her cheeks flushed in embarrassment. "Thank you, Commander."

"Any time, Seni." He released her gently and called out orders in Cheuhn as he joined his crew.

"That kind of jump is almost impossible to do correctly."

"He said his crew were chosen specifically for their talents, Jorj. You shouldn't compare your skills to theirs when they're part of a defense fleet meant to protect against the unknown."

Jorj inhaled sharply and she realized during their brief conversation, the smaller fighter ships had been annihilated. "It's really hard to take out those kind of fighters with just one shot."

She watched as the big ship in the background moved awkwardly like a fish might if it'd found itself on dry land, desperate to try to protect itself from a predator. "Not if he waited to fire till just before they did."

"I guess that's possible, since they annihilated Progga's ship in a similar fashion. Looks like whoever this was never stood a chance either. All their weapons were just rendered useless like they never posed a threat."

Thrawn approached them after he'd donned a vac suit as fast as the other Chiss around him had. "It's time for us to board. Please stay here on the bridge just as a precaution."

Dubrak drew everyone's attention to the fact that he was there with a snort. "Do you always go with the boarding party?"

"I could hardly call myself a leader if I wasn't willing to fight beside my crew at all times, Captain."

"Good luck, Commander." Seni said before Dubrak could be tempted to insult their host.

Thrawn gave her a nod of appreciation as he snapped on his helmet and left with his team.

"Do either of you know what just happened?" Maris broke the uncomfortable silence. "And why is that other ship covered in bubbles like it just had a bath?"

"One of the Chiss scouting ships was attacked by this strange vessel and managed to take out it's lightspeed engine before we got here. We've no idea who the aggressor was, just that they were dealt with quickly. Never saw those bubbles in use, so we've no idea what they're for."

It seemed like they spent an eternity in discussion on the possible uses for the bubbles and what the ship might normally be for while they waited. A suited Chiss came to tell them it was clear to join Commander Thrawn aboard the captured vessel, so they followed him on board. Strange beings lay where they had fallen in the poorly lit and unkept halls, random bits of debris had mixed in with the unevenly layered paint like no one had ever bothered to clean. Seni noticed her brother looked as uncomfortable as she felt about the dead all around them, but it was clear from their rigid forms none of them could possibly still be alive. She hoped she didn't look too relieved when Thrawn met up with them and led the way through the rest of the vessel.

"I'm glad you're all here. What do you think of this ship so far?"

"Badly maintained." Dubrak said in an almost polite way. "All of these fixes were rushed and won't hold up for long."

Maris nodded. "Stuff like this generally indicates poverty or they cut corners to save money."

"Not to mention the paint on the walls is uneven. It's like whoever did it was forced to climb something to continue, so they didn't make any effort for it to look nice." Seni looked down at one of the stiffs, took a deep breath and turned back at the others. "This species is much taller than where the overlay splotches are, so they didn't do anything from what I can tell."

"Good observation, sis." Jorj squeezed her hand. "Means they were slavers."

Thrawn nodded. "We only know the Vagaari by what we've heard from the outlying regions. They've enslaved and stolen from everyone except the Chiss and our allies, not daring to go against the Ascendency directly."

"Didn't they when they fired on your scout?"

"Not really, Captain. Since they struck first we had every right to defend ourselves, but if they'd done nothing we would have merely escorted them to the border of our region to ensure they didn't cause trouble." Thrawn stepped through a door that hissed open and they all gasped at the sight of a room nearly bursting with loot. "But in this case, they were obviously in a hurry because they were understaffed and panicked when our scout attempted to hail them."

Maris hmmmed. "Sounds like they didn't want you to know they were passing through here, Commander."

"Yes, they certainly didn't. Chiss space is well protected, but perhaps they thought they could cut through undetected."

Dubrak grunted. "Awfully cocky of them if they know your species the way you know theirs."

Thrawn's lips twitched just visibly, though Seni noticed the amusement didn't reach his eyes. "Indeed. It's going to take a while to catalog all of these valuables, but from it we will be able to tell a great deal about the species taken from."

"But a lot of this is artwork."

"All art tells a story, Maris." Seni said when Thrawn looked at her as if he'd known she had the answer. "If you know what to look for, you can tell a lot about a culture by their creations."

They headed back aboard the _Springhawk_ once the Vagaari ship was secured by a survey team and they were on their way again. Thrawn promised them they weren't far from the base and sure enough, it only took a couple hours before they emerged from hyperspace to find themselves in an asteroid field. The ship headed towards the biggest one as Thrawn told them about the establishment of the Crustai sector and his involvement in the base's construction. The helmsman took them in at such a fast speed one could barely see brownish clumps fly by high above the viewport.

"Looks like a visitor arrived before us." Thrawn said as they passed something that flashed at an interval. As they came into the massive hangar, there were several Chiss fighters and a couple smaller, unfamiliar ships parked next to a fancy vessel that had so much granduer to the design could have been a starliner if it didn't look around the same dimensions as the _Springhawk_. "And they're from the Fifth Ruling Family no less."

"Friends of yours?"

"Considering the fact the ship appears to belong to someone within the Family, I would have to say more like an aquaintence, Jorj. They're most likely here to check on our progress, so you could come with me to formally welcome the representative to Crustai if you wish."

"Thanks for the offer Commander, but I think I had enough excitement for one day." Maris yawned behind a hand as Dubrak nodded his agreement.

Jorj looked embarrassed as he said: "I think I should go lay down too..."

"I guess that just leaves me." Seni felt her heart beat faster as the _Springhawk_ parked in an empty bay. "So I'll come."

Thrawn nodded. "Very well. I will have one of my men show the rest of you to the guest quarters." He gave some orders to one of the soldiers nearby who saluted and led the other three out. He extended his arm to Seni, then led her into a room just off where the _Springhawk_ sat.

It was plain until a concealed console was pressed, then it changed into something that looked like it should be a set from a holo film, not real decorations. Fancy curtains and icicle-shaped things appeared above them, the wall color switched to yellow and the crystal clear floor's illuminators danced between polychromes while yellow was still prominent in the array. The representative who walked in through the other door was dressed like he was royalty and followed closely by an entourage of Chiss warriors in yellow. After a few days of seeing Chiss wearing black, yellow was almost jarring to the eyes, although not unflattering on them.

Thrawn and his men stepped forward and Seni watched as they met in the middle and spoke to one another in Cheunh. She understood very little of what was said, though she noticed every action seemed to have a purpose in their conversation. After they finished, Thrawn led the representative over to her and said in Sy Bisti: "This is Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano, esteemed delegate of the Fifth Ruling Family. Aristocra, this is Seni Ver'ath. She is part of a merchant group I found stranded in our territory."

Chaf'orm'bintrano looked her over with less than subtle distaste. "So where is the rest of your crew, Seni Ver'ath?"

"You flatter me by assuming I'm the captain, Aristocra." She gave a curtsy. "I am just co-navigator in truth. Unfortunately, Captain Quennto and the others were far too worn out to join us."

"Perhaps it is better that way, as I have little desire to communicate with... merchants." Chaf'orm'bintrano's tone hinted he was thinking of a word far less flattering. "But your bearing tells me you weren't born into that line of work."

"Technically no, but I'm not upper class either."

Chaf'orm'bintrano tilted his chin up fractionally like he was looking down his nose at her. "A pity. Had you been born Chiss there would be a multitude of doors open to you. Regardless, you hold yourself like a lady and it is little wonder Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo brought you as a guest. I hope you find your stay enlightening, Seni Ver'ath."

"I'm sure I will. If you will excuse me, I think I will go freshen up now. It was very nice to meet you, Aristocra Chaf'orm'bintrano." She took the hint she should leave and curtsied again as one of Thrawn's warriors arrived at her elbow at a gesture from Thrawn that was clearly a silent order. "Good night, Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo." She had to resist a smile as he inclined his head to her and she left with the Chiss clad in black.


	4. Chapter 4

Seni stepped into the room to find her possessions neatly arranged for ease of access so she didn't have to go back and forth to the _Springhawk_ while they were on the base. She found the fresher station in the adjacent nook worked just the same as aboard the ship and washed the long day off herself. She tried out the console and found the lesson plan Thrawn had mapped out for them was also accessible through there. Curling up in a chair, she drew for a bit before sleep claimed her and woke with a start when the door chime rang. "Come in." She called out groggily in Sy Bisti as she stretched.

Thrawn stepped inside with something tucked under his arm. "I'm sorry Seni, I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's okay, I wasn't intending to fall asleep before dinner." She gestured to her other chair. "Won't you have a seat, Thrawn?"

"Thank you." He sat down with a hint of a smile. "I trust you found your cabin accommodating?"

"Yes, it's very cozy. What's that?" She asked as he pulled out what he'd put under his arm, which looked like a thick rolled up cloth.

"I thought you might like this, seeing as you're an artist. If you're not interested, I promise I won't be offended." He unrolled it to reveal different art mediums in color hues she'd never seen before. "I wished to make up for the fact that the Aristocra treated you with such disrespect earlier and thought I should at least offer you something I know you value."

She studied it for a while. "This is beautiful Thrawn, but you don't have to give it to me just because royalty looked down on me. Wasn't the first time and I doubt it will be the last. Besides, this looks like it's worth a lot of money and I couldn't ask you to part with something you treasure."

"This kit actually considered lower class items among Chiss, though I see the value because it has been passed down through my family for generations. How about I merely let you borrow it while you're here?"

"Deal." She picked up one of the pencils. "I haven't seen color pigments like this before."

He smiled. "That's probably because our vision is more infrared, so even normal colors look a little different. Are you hungry?"

She gently set the pencil down and nodded. "Now that I'm thinking about it, yes."

"Come with me." He stood up and held his hand out to her. When she took it, he helped her to her feet and led her out the door into the halls.

"I've noticed the lights are dimmed more during standard evening and night time hours, is that normal Chiss protocol to preserve as much power as possible?"

He nodded. "We also can see better in the dark than other races, so it gives us the advantage if they ever came against us."

She thought of the Vagaari strewn all over their badly maintained ship and suppressed a shudder. "Do you think any of them would?"

"Many have in the past, though some like the Vagaari who appear to be testing the boundaries to see just how much they can get away with instead of going against us directly. The fact that they were in our section of space so blatantly has me worried, though I doubt such news will bother anyone else since the trespassers were dealt with."

She noticed his brow was furrowed just noticably. "I take it you've tried to convince others the Vagaari are a threat?"

He inclined his head to her as they arrived at the dinning hall and got in line for food. "On several occasions, only to be told there wasn't any evidence to support my claim. Does the Republic cast aside potential enemies?"

"There have been stories of them even going as far as ignoring an obvious blockade of a planet in our system till it was almost too late. The Republic relies far too much on the Senate to make important decisions and expects the Jedi Order to keep the peace for them at all times. Originally the Senate was formed so every system had it's own voice and representation, though now a lot of them would tell you they're merely there as the latter of the two. Just like the Jedi Order is to help, not to solve every little problem people should be able to deal with on their own." She paused as they grabbed trays with plates on them and thanked the server who dished out the meal in Cheunh and received an impressed nod in return. "The others are missing out, this smells really good."

"I ordered a couple of my warriors to take them food if they didn't come out in time to take advantage of the meal. The one who originally showed them to their cabins said Maris went into your captain's room with him. From your lack of surprise I assume that's a common practice?"

She shrugged as she followed him out into the hall again. "For them, yes. Maris was with him for two years before Jorj and I joined the crew, so all I can do is hope she won't get her heart broken. Do Chiss do that sort of thing?"

"It's not uncommon, though it usually only happens if the pair are serious about each other to the point they plan on marrying. Family is very important to us and the possibility of children isn't taken lightly because they are the future of the Ascendency. A few have split during the courting period if they cannot agree on whether or not one of them will put their career on hold or work together for posteritys' sake, so you can imagine most Chiss choose to wait until they find someone who they know they can be with for life."

"Mother always told Jorj and I to do the same, so I think that's a very wise decision." She breathed out in awe as they came to a massive room with a much taller and wider viewport than aboard the _Springhawk_ , which looked out over said ship and the others which had been there upon their arrival except for the Aristocra's fancy vessel, which she noticed was gone.

He sat down and waited for her to do the same after their trays were on the table in front of them. "Sounds like she was speaking from experience."

"Yes. She told us she jumped into a relationship with Jorj's father without knowing him before they got married and he left when Jorj was born and never came back. She didn't know if he had been killed on a job or had abandoned them because he never wanted the responsibility of a family, but she wasn't going to let her son starve. She took whatever commissions she could get and my father stepped in as a friend and helped her get back on her feet. After a year when Corellian law says the missing person is declared dead, she agreed to marry my father because he'd shown her he would always be there and treat Jorj like his own."

"Did Jorj's father ever show up again?"

She nodded. "He came around when Jorj was eleven and and I was five. Mother knocked him out with one punch and told his so-called crew if they ever dared to land on Corellia again they'd all be arrested for aiding a criminal."

"Is it considered a crime to fake one's death on Corellia?"

"No, but they didn't know that. Corellian law is known to have additions every few years, so they probably assumed it was a new rule and never came back."

He looked thoughtful. "Interesting. Do Corellians have a hard time keeping track of the new rules?"

"Sometimes more than others. Ever since Corellia tried to pull out of it's alliance with the Republic, a lot changed. Smugglers could suddenly find safe haven there and used that as a foothold to get further into the Republic unnoticed. It brought more business to Corellia, but also trouble."

"Trouble like your captain."

She sighed. "I'm sure there are plenty more far worse than him out in the galaxy. Jorj was just so focused on getting on job, I think he picked one of what my father would call "lesser evils". Mother wasn't too happy about his choice, though she agreed he should go out and earn a living if he didn't want to stay on Corellia to find work. I decided to come along since mother and my father have been talking about moving and figured we could meet up with them after a season or two. Last time we chatted, they'd visited my father's home planet of Thustra and found it had become a little too similar to Corellia for their comfort."

"So they were trying to leave the Republic too?"

"Not yet, but they may one day. Several of my father's childhood friends were of the opinion their best interests aren't taken into consideration any more, even by the representative who's supposed to be their voice. I wish I could say they were wrong, but almost everyone knows more and more members of the Senate have become more corrupt over recent years."

"From what you have told me, a civil war is on the rise. It may take a few years, but where Corellia failed to break away others will succeed. Everyone will take sides and start fighting against each other, tearing apart what's left of the Republic."

She shivered at how he'd gotten that from such minimal information and still sounded confident in his analysis despite not hearing all of the details. "What you say is true. If Thustra leaves, the whole sector it's a part of would follow and the Republic would weaken and crumble."

He gently touched her hand. "I don't mean to frighten you, I just wanted you to be aware of what's coming."

"You caught me off guard, that's all. I've never met anyone before who has made such an accurate observation after hearing so little about a place they've never been and people they haven't met." She glanced down at his hand on top of hers, then looked back up at him. "That's not common where I come from unless the person is a member of the Jedi Order."

"They are the ones whom everyone relies on to keep the peace, yes?"

She nodded. "As a result, they're constantly traveling around the Republic and sometimes outside of it on missions assigned by the Jedi Council. I've heard there are a few who never even go to the Jedi Temple, merely following the will of the Force wherever it may lead."

He lifted an eyebrow fractionally. "What is the Force?"

"The Jedi believe it binds the whole galaxy together in an energy field of light and dark. Those that are Force sensative like the Jedi can tap into the massive network of power to encourage plants to grow faster, refresh their strength, heal themselves and others, discern the truth of any situation, forsee potential threats to defend the weak and innocent, can move objects of any size without touching it and help navigate when traveling in uncharted territory. They find children who have the same potential to train in the ways of the Force too, though they don't get beyond the Outer Rim much to my knowledge. That's probably why you've never heard of them before."

"Yes, besides the fact that no Chiss child has ever displayed the abilities you discribed beyond puberty. Even with their skills honed from constant use on behalf of the Ascendency, as soon as they become an adult the connection is gone. It's still considered a closely guarded secret among my people, so I would appreciate you not telling anyone we've spoken of this."

She managed a nod. "Of course, but why are you trusting me with it?"

His hand clasped hers as he helped her to her feet and they headed back towards her room. "Because you trust me inspite of the fact that I am a species you have never met before. You share my belief we can learn from and help each other and I think your eye for detail could be as good as mine given the opportunity. Once we get the Vagaari ship towed here I would like to have you come aboard with the survey team and see if there is anything familiar to you."

"If I didn't know this was to gain knowledge about other cultures, I might think you were trying find excuses to spend time with me." She suggested without thinking and blushed in embarrassment. "Sorry, that was uncalled for and rather presumptuous of me. Maybe you should have the others help you instead."

"I see no reason they couldn't come too. However, I extended the offer to you first and thought that my intention of spending more time with you was obvious, so you were hardly being presumptuous." He smiled just visibly as he released her hand. "I hope you rest well, Seni. I will send for you and your brother to continue our language lessons tomorrow."

She smiled back and stepped into her room. "Sounds like a plan. You should get some sleep too, Thrawn."

He inclined his head. "I assure you that I will be, Seni. Good night."

"Good night, Thrawn." She watched him disappear down the hall and wondered what she was doing. Dubrak wouldn't agree to stay any longer than he had to even with the incentive of getting goods from the Vagaari ship and she doubted she'd be allowed to stay in Chiss space as an outsider. Even so, Thrawn had been right. She did have the same beliefs as him and wanted to know more about this mysterious commander who she found attractive, even if it didn't go anywhere. Only time would tell what would happen in the long run and all she could do was focus on the present and whatever opportunities it offered her.


	5. Chapter 5

"We're taking a shuttle?" Maris asked in surprise when they all met up out where all the ships were docked.

"The Vagaari vessel is anchored just outside our base now." Thrawn replied as they boarded. "This makes it easier and safer for my survey team to do their jobs. Once we have verified there are no instabilities aboard, it can be towed into the asteroid. In the meantime, I am looking forward to having your help looking through and cataloging the treasure."

"Does this mean I can have my pick of the loot?" Dubrak winced as Maris elbowed his side. "What? It's a fair question."

Thrawn glanced at the captain thoughtfully. "I suppose you could choose a few items, though they will have to be limited. Don't forget I will also be sending you with valuables never before seen from our region of space."

"I won't forget." Dubrak almost sounded reluctant, but his face showed nothing.

Seni knew from experience that could mean trouble as the shuttle parked inside the ship. When they stepped out, she swallowed against the sick feeling in her stomach to see the corpses still strewn about. "So what are the bodies doing where they fell?" She asked a lot calmer than she felt, desperate for a new topic even if it was a morbid one.

"Studying them. We're almost done, so we will dispose of them soon."

"Study? What for?" Maris sounded mortified.

"To see how they fight."

Dubrak snorted. "Don't you already know that since you defeated them?"

"From one aspect perhaps, but not all of them." Thrawn replied cooly as they arrived at their destination. "We had superior technology to be able to help us defend ourselves, but any warrior knows that you cannot rely on such methods all the time lest they grow soft."

"Technology still can't produce art the way every species can." Jorj looked around. "It might be able to make a convincing duplicate to the inexperienced eye, but it's not the same as the real thing, right Seni? Seni?"

Seni had noticed what she thought was a familiar-looking piece of jewelry partially buried under some of the gems when her brother's voice made her look up. "Oh yes, it's very easy to tell once you know the difference. Take this necklace for example." She picked up the item she'd beey looking at from amid the loose treasure. "What says that it is real?"

"Aren't those caeruleam set in argenti?"

"How do you know it's really caeruleam and argenti, Maris? The stones could be glass colored expertly to make you think it's the real thing. And while the argenti looks authentic, it could be silvery paint coated on top of wire or made from the much more brittle look-a-like calles argis." She glanced around as Maris shook her head in defeat. "Anyone else?"

"I do not know the language, but there appears to be a maker's signature on the middle stone with what I assume is an inscription." Thrawn reached out and touched the jewelry, weighing one of the gems on the tips of his fingers gently like it was a flower. "It's is too rough and heavy to be glass and there are little indications that the metal was smithed by specific shaped tools. If it were pliable, those markers wouldn't be there and argis doesn't sound as if it would hold up through the process necessary to make this."

"Wow, I never noticed all of that before." Jorj looked impressed.

Seni resisted smiling. "Correct, Commander. But can you tell me what the species was like that made it?"

Thrawn studied it and she noticed his eyes flicked to the broach she wore. "Average heights for the most part and often long fingered with pointed ears and an affinity for all the arts, which also reflects in their fighting style and how they make weapons."

Maris gasped. "You got all that from a necklace?"

"No, Seni is wearing a pendant from the same race." Thrawn gestured to it. "And the writing isn't in Basic, so I assume that wasn't their first language." He looked at Seni while the others began to look for familiar items and said quietly: "It's from your father's people."

"Yes." Seni managed, a little surprised at how he'd stated that as a fact, not question. "How did you know?"

"The way you held it and the fact that you put the broach directly above your heart to keep your family close. What does the inscription say?"

"It basically translates to: _Softly the starlight falls,_ _trees whisper what cannot be heard inside walls, while outside the wind does call. Yet none of them can give sound to the love inside my heart, of which you take the biggest part._ "

"Beautiful." His eyes were on her, not the necklace.

"Hey Commander, what about the makers of these?" Jorj called before she could respond and they turned to see four impressively large fish sculptures that had been unburied.

Thrawn walked over for a closer look. "Underwater and surface beings, though most of them live in the latter. Their physique is amphibian humanoid and most likely have gills that can retract when they choose to walk above. They are strong swimmers and fighters who also have defenses and offenses some might consider primative, but they're highly effective."

"Definitely Gungans, but their art is nearly impossible to steal. How did an obvious collectors set and a small Sephi trinket get in the hands of raiders?"

Seni knew if she mentioned the real value of the jewelry she'd found Dubrak would take ownership to spite her, so it wasn't hard to ignore the subtle jab at her culture's workmanship. "There have been a few successful thefts reported by Gungans, but those artifacts were never recovered and it's entirely possible whoever stole them had a run in with the Vagaari since they couldn't very well stay in parts of space where they'd get caught. As for this little bauble, Sephi do travel outside the Republic, so maybe their ship was attacked or they traded it for something on a planet frequented by these nomads."

"Both are possible." Maris agreed. "How can you tell what someone looks just from something they made, Commander?"

"Subconsciously everyone puts a little of themselves, their history and how they fight into their art. We Chiss pride ourselves on our attention to detail and have been trained since we were small to see tell-tale indications others might miss." Thrawn replied, pausing as his comm beeped. "Excuse me for a moment." He stepped out into the hall to answer it.

Jorj turned to Maris. "So which era do you reckon these statues are from?"

"Definitely prior to 32 BBY when they became popular to display again. Strangely enough, there's no completion date carved into the base like most other Gungan art I've seen. Only a few older works I've heard about are like this and they're so rare if you're caught attempting to steal them the punishment is death."

A memory hit Seni like a splash of cold water as Maris prattled on about negotiated values for similar items. She rushed out the door to tell Thrawn while no one was looking and nearly collided with him. She opened her mouth and realized he was still speaking to someone in Cheunh as he touched her arm gently in acknowledgement, so she waited till he slipped his comm back on his belt. "Sounds like someone is coming to look at the Vagaari ship."

"Yes, Admiral Ar'alani and her crew. Don't worry, she is more open minded than the Aristocra about outsiders. I have a feeling she will like you."

"Is she your sister?"

Thrawn shook his head. "No, though she would have been if she and my brother had gotten married. That's a story for another time, however. You wanted to tell me something?"

She nodded and switched to Cheunh and Minnisiat, hoping they were good enough to communicate, especially since she didn't want to risk Dubrak "accidentally" overhearing and getting an even worse opinion of their hosts. "Something Maris said in there...I recalled a story I heard. It came from the Mid... Cup Edge... no... Rim, yes Rim. Someone tried to... steal Gungan art. They were... killed for it. The thief was rumored to be a... blue-skinned... uh... pirate with red eyes."

"Very impressive for only a few lessons, Seni." He smiled. "What you have described definitely sounds like a Chiss, though the number who are willing to going far from the Ascendency is small. Is this Mid Rim you mentioned in your Republic?"

"Yes."

He glanced into the treasure room to see everyone still emersed in cataloging and discussion. "How long ago did this occur?"

"About five years."

"Thank you for telling me Seni, we can discuss this more later." He transitioned to Sy Bisti smoothly. "Let's rejoin your companions before they notice we are both missing."

She proceeded him back inside and resumed the spot she'd been standing before Dubrak pulled a stunning painting out with a low whistle.

"Take a look at this Commander and we'll see how close you are with just one reference."

Thrawn hmmmed. "A humanoid race with four extremeties instead of five, fur and are quite tall and strong."

"Who's he talking about?" Jorj managed to ask into the shocked silence, seeing his sister was just as perplexed.

Maris cleared her throat. "Lasat. They colonized a planet ages ago in the Outer Rim called Lasan, though their original homeworld Lira San in Wild Space is said to be hidden even from their memory. They usually don't sell their art to just anyone and and I can't imagine them being easy prey for the Vagaari."

"Yeah, no kidding. Just one Lasat can push open a powered down blast door." Dubrak shook his head. "Not even those top of the line battle droids can do something like that with their bare hands."

"If they're so strong, how'd their art get out here?"

Seni looked at the design thoughtfully. It was obviously the maker had put a lot of care and emotion into the portrait of a dust storm forming on an unfamiliar landscape with dry, arid mesas that stood proudly against anything nature threw at it. Huddled against the massive bases were scraggly green brush and two small figures barely visible in the tempest, taking solace together in an almost romantic way. "Maybe it was a gift, Jorj."

"Well whatever it was, it's mine now." Dubrak said presumptuously and went back to digging through the treasure.

Maris glanced longingly at the Gungan statue set behind his back, but didn't protest.

Seni felt bad for Maris, though she knew any relationship had to have compromise. Her mother had once told her that real love was willing to give up anything for the other person, whether they reciprocated or not. Sighing softly to herself, she put the necklace in an empty bin since she didn't want to assume they all could pick something something. Besides, knowing Dubrak, he would push passed the limit on what "a few items" meant. She noticed her brother staring at something. "What did you find, Jorj?"

"A wood carving. I just can't tell what it's supposed to be."

"You're holding it upside down." She told him after taking a closer look.

He flipped it upright. "That still doesn't help."

She gently took the carving from him. "Remember those stories mother used to tell us about dragons all over the galaxy and how every one of them is different in appearance?"

"You think this is some planet's local dragon?"

"Yes. Look at the fluffy clouds curling under it's clawed feet, indicating it can fly even though it has no wings. If you look closely, you can see a mixture of scales and fur polished more in certain areas to give you the impression they're glinting in the sunlight. There's even fire coming out of it's open mouth, although there are plenty of dragons who don't breathe fire."

"And what do these other dragons do?" Thrawn asked.

Jorj shrugged. "Some of them are venemous, others have elemental abilities or rumored to possess control of the environment around them if they were born in it, but I think this is the first wingless specimen depicted with the power of flight. Almost looks like a relative of the Duinuogwuin with how long it's body is, but there is little known about them outside of the fact they can't seem to have normal offspring with their own kind. Duinuogwuin are the only dragons able to live out in the vacuum of space, hence why they got the nickname Star-Dragon."

"We Chiss have a similar name for that species, though we hardly ever see them near our region. I think we've done enough work for now, let's head back to the shuttle. I'm sure you're all hungry from going through at least a fourth of what's here."

"Food sounds like a good idea." Maris agreed.

The shuttle took them back inside the base and they went to the dinning hall for lunch.


	6. Chapter 6

The base was a flurry of excitement when Admiral Ar'alani arrived, which meant Commander Thrawn hadn't been around much in the last few hours as he played host and tour guide for the admiral and her surprise guest who turned out to be Thrawn's brother Mitth'ras'safis. Ar'alani had decided to do her own cataloging of the treasure in the Vagaari vessel, so naturally Dubrak had gotten his praverbial feathers ruffled and he'd declared it was good he'd already taken what he wanted before shutting himself and Maris in their room. Seni went through the language lesson with Jorj who wasn't feeling very well and she gave him medicine to take before she left him to rest. She had lunch and dinner in the mess hall for some semblance of social interaction, a few of the warriors from the _Springhawk_ sitting and politely conversing with her in Sy Bisti. She sat in the observation room afterwards with her art bag for a while, watching Chiss fighters come and go before she couldn't stand sitting any more. She went back to her quarters and did exercises in combination with her usual self-defense routine till a chime interrupted her.

"Come in." She called mid-kick.

Thrawn entered and raised an eyebrow fractionally. "Are you practicing dancing?"

She chuckled. "Ironically, this particular set of fighting moves is called _Dancing Wind_ and can also be a dance. You do have to have a certain degree of grace to keep your balance." She noticed how tired he looked as she returned to a resting position. "When was the last time you slept, Thrawn?"

"It's been a while." He admitted with a wry smile. "I finally convinced my other guests to get some rest and then I received confirmation that a Vagaari attack is happening not far from here, so I thought it would be illuminating to go study them in action. Your brother sounded terrible over the comm and I doubt your captain and Maris would be interested in coming along. Would you like to? It will be dangerous, so you don't have to say yes."

"I trust your skills in battle, Thrawn."

He bowed his head. "Thank you for your confidence, Seni. We'd better be going."

She nodded and followed him towards the _Springhawk_. "What about your other guests?"

"I am certain once Admiral Ar'alani finds out I went to investigate without her, she won't be happy she wasn't there to keep me in line."

"Why would she think you need that?"

Thrawn glanced at her. "I have a reputation for ignoring Chiss doctrine and breaking rules when I believe it is necessary to help the Ascendency and they don't always agree."

Seni studied his face that showed no emotion. "You think they'll ever figure out it's for their benefit?"

"I am not certain. The Ascendency is very set in it's ways and there are plenty of times I am convinced that will be our downfall."

"Because of species like the Vagaari?"

He nodded. "I argued they were in our region on purpose, proven by the log on the captured ship and Admiral Ar'alani dismissed it with the fact that I dealt with them."

"But you might not be there next time."

"Precisely. I am just one Commander in a vast Defense Fleet and others are far too lenient."

Seni stopped walking halfway to the bridge as something occurred to her. "And you helping us isn't lenient?"

His lips twitched just visibly. "You sound just like the Admiral, who was more than happy to say she thinks I have given you all far too much free reign. I told her I failed to see how an exchange of knowledge was leniency and that I was learning far more from observation than you could hope to."

"I'm not sure if I feel flattered or insulted by that." She said drily. "Though I suppose it wouldn't be a good idea to tell her you're letting us read about your culture or how informal you're letting us be."

"Very perceptive. For the time being, I don't think it necessary the Admiral or my brother to know any of that." His glowing red eyes held hers. "The less they think you know, the safer you are. I have no wish for any of you to become forced residence here."

His tone told her exactly what that meant: prisoners. "In that case, I thank you for down playing our involvement."

"A warrior always protects what is closest to him."

She didn't have time to ask what he meant as one of his soldiers approached holding oxygen face masks. "Do you think those are necessary, Commander?"

"Just a precaution."

She took one of the masks as they made their way to the bridge and saw the base was far behind them in the rear viewport, which meant they'd left as soon as Thrawn was aboard at top speed. From the level of secrecy, she knew the attack wasn't in Chiss space and therefore Thrawn would feel less restrained, but why invite her along if she could be a witness for or against him? She knew his ability to read others had told him she would say yes, even after he'd warned her this would be dangerous, which meant he planned on doing something that either bent or outright defied Ascendancy rules. She felt caught between curiousity and apprehension as the stars melded together into the lines of hyperspace, a hand on her arm drawing her back to the present and Thrawn stepping in front on her, his blue-black brows furrowed just visibly in concern like he'd asked her a question and she hadn't responded, which made her feel guilty for not paying attention. "What was that, Commander?"

"We have six hours till we arrive, would you like to get some rest?"

"I think that would be a good idea."

"I will walk you back to your old quarters." He turned to his crew and switched to Cheunh before she could protest. "Notify me when we are getting close and have all battle stations ready."

"Yes, Commander." They acknowledged. If they had any scruples about his orders or wondered what she was doing there, they didn't show it.

Thrawn walked her down the corridors to her old room without a word.

"Something else is going on, isn't there?" She asked into the strange silence.

"I just have a feeling, nothing substantial to go on yet." He replied, stopping at her door. "I hope I am wrong."

She couldn't imagine him being inaccurate about anything, yet his haggered expression told her that wasn't what he needed to hear. "Well, I'll be beside you no matter what happens."

"And I am very glad you are here, Seni."

"I wasn't going to let you go outside Chiss space without moral support. Now go get some sleep."

He smiled faintly. "You too, Seni."

* * *

She met him back on the bridge just before they emerged from hyperspace and wasn't expecting to see what looked like a full scale invasion playing out in front of them when they did, but the grim set of Thrawn's lips told her this was what he thought they would find. She'd heard stories of pirate raids, but all those paled in comparison to the sheer magnitude of the life or death battle going on in front of them. Whoever the Vagaari were attacking clearly didn't have the same defenses on their ships, in fact the style of fighters reminded her of the ones flown all over Corellia that had limited firepower and didn't stand a chance against an entire fleet. The Vagaari on the other hand were clearly in their element, acting as if they weren't tied a world like the people they were fighting and the rushed patch jobs all over the captured vessel back in Crustai made even more sense now. They hadn't only been cutting corners, they'd been having those repairs done on the move by whatever poor souls they captured as their slaves. All of a sudden it hit her where the Vagaari would keep their captives when not using them for maintenance. "Commander, could we take a closer look at the Vagaaris' hull?"

He made a motion to one of the crew and the view screen zoomed in on the closest ship, which confirmed her worst fear: the bubbles held all kinds of various life forms inside them as a living shield. "Again your eye for detail provides better insight, Seni. What else is unusual about the events we are witnessing?"

She fought back the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach and forced herself to focus on finding anomalies amidst the chaos. "One of the injured fighters isn't jumping to hyperspace, though far enough from the planet. It's engine's don't appear to be damaged, but it's not diving into the fray either."

"Yes and what does that tell you?"

"The Vagaari have an artificial gravitational field." She felt a shiver run down her spine as she imagined the damage they could inflict on the Republic who thought such a device was impossible to create and maintain. "Please tell me we're going to steal it."

His lips curled upwards just visibly. "Of course, though I thought you might object instead of encourage the idea."

"I'd rather the Chiss have something so dangerous. It's not as if you'll use against someone weaker who isn't an enemy or doesn't pose a threat."

"I am honored by your preference." He turned to his crew and she realized they'd been talking in Cheunh the entire time. "Analysis on the cones we can see at the edges of the field?"

"We cannot tell much from this distance except that they appear to be self-sustaning generators, Commander."

"How many are there?"

"Six in total, Commander. Five are on the outskirts and one is in the middle."

Thrawn nodded. "Prepare fighters to launch as soon as we come out of the michro jump to the nearest one."

"Yes, Commander."

Seni braced herself and the battle disappeared and reappeared in the blink of an eye at a different angle. The Vagaari defense around the cone sped towards them, guns blazing and were met by Thrawn's forces that had left the hangar by the moment they'd emerged. It only took two of the Chiss fighters to keep the sparse Vagaari at bay while the rest retrieved the object in less than a minute. This process was repeated for the other generators along the edge with increasing resistance from the Vagaari and she knew the longer it took, the more dangerous it became and was glad when there was only one left to grab.

"Have your masks ready!" One of the warriors called before the last jump.

She fastened hers on with a nervous pit in her stomach as they emerged. An explosion rocked the bridge, sending parts of it flying everywhere. Her head spun as the oxygen stabilized almost instantly again aboard the ship as emergency seals were activated and she blinked to clear her vision from being blinded. All the Chiss had been thrown back, most of them looking fine apart from some minor abrasions though a couple that had been closer looked dead. She realized Thrawn wasn't in his command chair and frantically rushed forward to find him nearby, unconscious and bleeding. "I need help over here!" She stripped off her over shirt and put it on his wound to staunch the flow of blood, maintaining a light pressure as she made sure his oxygen mask was on securely with her free hand. "Don't you dare die on me, Thrawn. Please." She whispered as tears pricked at her eyes and was only vaugely aware when the medical team arrived and pulled her away to take their Commander to the med bay.

She was glad to notice they'd managed to grab the last cone before they got out of the battle zone. She spent the majority of her time on the way back to Crustai helping clean shrapnel off the bridge and then helping with whatever else the crew needed to get done, too worried about Thawn to even think of resting. Finally one of the Chiss from the med bay found her and said the Commander wanted to see her, leading her back to where Thrawn was on a bed with a bandage on his bare blue-skinned chest. "Thank goodness you're okay." She breathed out when the other Chiss left.

"I am told that is because of your quick actions. I would have not been in very good shape if they had found me later." His glowing red eyes hadn't lost their intensity, though he looked a little pale. "Your shirt got ruined, I'm afraid."

"That's fine, clothing isn't important when compared to a life."

He smiled. "Thank you for saving me, Seni."

"You would do the same for me, Thrawn."

"Indeed. I also heard the crew has been most appreciative for the assistance you've been giving them."

She nodded. "One of the officers lent me this jacket in return. I thought that was nice of them."

"We look out for each other and you certainly have earned their respect."

"I noticed they started calling me Lady Seni, which is flattering and embarrassing since I'm not of that station."

He chuckled softly. "It's merely an honorary title, nothing to be embarrassed by."

She sighed in relief. "Okay. I should let you get more rest. You need to be presentable for when we return to Crustai."

"Yes, I imagine even with a new toy to give the Ascendency as a peace offering the Admiral won't be too pleased."

"Probably not, but try not to worry about that so you can sleep."

He incined his head to her. "Will you stay till I fall asleep?"

She sat beside him with a smile. "Of course."


	7. Chapter 7

They arrived back to Crustai and Thrawn was confined to his quarters by the medics and Seni didn't leave him very often, except to keep Jorj updated and when she needed sleep over the next few hours. She had returned from her latest nap to find Thrawn still weak, but obviously recovering more color and sitting up. "You look much better."

"Thank you, it is nice to finally do something besides lay down. Won't you join me?"

She smiled and sat in the chair next to his bed. She studied a board game he was playing. "Looks sort of like dejarik and chess, except the pieces and board are different."

"Some of our trading allies play those, though one who saw me playing this called it Shah-tezh and said he hadn't seen anyone else except an old man use it when he was a little boy. I told him I learned it from my father and he said he didn't know it's name, only that his father had taught him and said when my grandfather had been stranded near Wild Space, a stranger found him, took care of the repairs on his ship and showed him this game before sending him on his way. My grandfather never got the stranger's name."

"Shah-tezh?" She whispered in awe, a shiver running down her spine. "That's considered little more than the inspiration for or the predecessor of it's varients. No one in the Republic has ever claimed to know how to play, at least not since it's formation thousands of years ago."

"Apparently it's also rare among our trading partners to even have knowledge of. Those of us who have visited Wild Space only saw similar games, but not this one. I often wonder who showed my grandfather and how they knew how to play."

"I don't know, though it would be interesting to find out. Are you playing against yourself?"

"Yes and no. I am using battle tactics I saw the Vagaari employ against Ascendancy practices."

She swallowed at his expression. "It's not good, is it?"

"At this point there are multiple outcomes, some of which we can win and in others it could lead to our destruction, but I will not dwell on that right now." He reset the board. "Would you like me to teach you?"

"Yes please."

"As you can see, each player has identical pieces on both sides and the only difference between then is the highlights, which indicates what squares they can be set on." He held up the figure of a bent over robed figure that looked like it had been tall once. "This is the Imperator, the most important piece in the game. He can only move one space at a time and if he falls, the game has come to an end even if you still have all your other pieces." He set it back down and picked up another, which was a thin man with a large, pillar-shaped hat. "This is the Vizier, he moves diagonally across-"

"You would dare to deny me entry?!" A male voice interrupted in Cheunh outside the door.

"You are agaited, Syndic. We cannot have you upsetting the-"

Thrawn picked up his comm. "Let my brother in before he puts you under house arrest where you cannot help me, Doctor."

"But-"

"That is an order."

"Yes sir."

His brother stormed in, wearing the robes that showed his status as Syndic. "What is _she_ doing here when they wouldn't even let me pass?"

"She was the one who saved my life, Thrass. If you are going to continue to show her such disrespect, I will have to ask you to leave." Thrawn replied cooly, though there was a dangerous undertone in his voice.

Thrass's expression changed just visibly. "You were the...she doesn't speak Cheunh does she?"

"I can, though speaking your language is somewhat limited to me at the moment, Syndic." Seni replied drily.

"My sincere apologies." He bowed fractionally. "Your Cheunh is quite impressive for someone still learning."

Seni glanced at Thrawn. "Your brother is an excellent teacher. He has kindly put up with my stumbling attempts."

"You have been quite patient with me as well." Thrawn pointed out as he switched to Sy Bisti and studied his brother. "You came with a message from the Eighth Ruling Family, I presume?"

"No, but I am certain once they hear of your antics they will have something to say. You left Chiss space while the Admiral was here and two of your warriors are in more critical condition than you and the medics aren't sure if they will live or not."

"They knew the risks and agreed to come of their own free will."

"Did it ever occur to you they came out of loyalty?"

"I would not be Chiss if I didn't consider that. Whether it was to me or the Ascendancy is another matter."

Thrass sighed in frustration. "Well they're certainly not willing to say anything against you. I don't know how you manage such devotion when you constantly go against Ascendancy rules and doctrine."

"My warriors have been stationed here for quite some time and they have seen first hand those don't always apply. They know the dangers in ways those back in civilization cannot and others turn a blind eye to while being aware of the problem. If what I have said doesn't explain to you why, I do not think I can help you understand."

"And what if your actions causes a war we cannot win?"

"It won't, but I know we will not win if we let the Vagaari go on the offensive against us." Thrawn set the Vizier back on his little square and began moving the pieces. "They are more than just theives with a planet we can track them to as was theorized in the beginning. They congregate in one place to attack as an entire civilization and then disappear into the void to regroup and prepare for another raid. The item my crew and I put our lives on the line to steal was a fully functional gravitational field that holds their prey in place while they plunder and use their slaves as living shields aboard their ships during combat.

"They can keep attacking like the Beast to expose our weak points, using own own rules against us in similar fashion to the Craft, keeping us pinned and out of contact via the Councilor, constantly returning with the Disciple and gaining strongholds like the Knight with unlimited ability to move in any direction a little at a time while we lose more of our resources and colonies until-" he trapped the Imperator on the other side of the board in one swift gesture with the opposing Vizier- "we have nothing left and nowhere to run."

There was a chilling silence in the room until Thrass recovered his voice. "You are basing this off an old strategy game we learned as children that has multiple outcomes."

"Not as many as you would think."

"We don't even know if they will come to us."

"They have already been in Chiss space once and were understaffed, so my victory over them is not a good example to use in an comparison of our might versus theirs. If they haven't already figured out we only fight back when attacked they soon will and push the boundaries of our restraint."

"What do you make all of this, Seni Ver'ath?"

She raised her eyebrows in surprise at Thrass. She wouldn't have expected a powerful Syndic to care for an outsider's opinion, but he was Thrawn's brother so perhaps they weren't all that different. "Having seen the Vagaari fight in two separate circumstances has me agreeing with the Commander. The second battle against them was very different from the first and perhaps I am not as experienced as the two of you, but the life or death struggle of that entire planet against the Vagaari raid was something like stories I heard as a child about times before the Republic and what those outside of the Republic still have to deal with, though that doesn't mean the Republic is immune.

"About five years ago a peaceful planet there called Naboo was blockaded and all their transmissions cut off by the Trade Federation and the Queen went to plead for Naboo in the Senate, only to be told there was no proof and the Federation was denying the accusations at every turn. Finally, she voted for no confidence in Chancellor Valorum and returned to Naboo while an election for a new Chancellor took place. By the time aide arrived from the Republic, Nabooians had already won back their planet thanks to their Queen making an alliance with Gungans who they'd not had very good relations with prior. I know you may not see a similarity because they were a peaceful people who were forced into battle, but what if the Vagaari do exactly what your brother is describing and unlike Naboo the worlds the Vagaari take have no hope of escape?"

"You both paint a very grim picture, but I need more than that to convince the Eighth Ruling Family you were in the right."

Thrawn regarded Thrass for a while before he spoke. "Our ship recordings will verify the Vagaari fired first. I plan to use the gravitational field we stole in a demonstration to show the entire Ascendancy what it is capable of both for and against us by setting it up discreetly near the border of our territory near here and we will move it periodically so that anyone trying yo sneak through Chiss space will be caught in the act and disabled in by my elite warriors if those caught attack and the survivors will be brought in for questioning."

"That kind of operation would take time and more man power than you may be able to spare, Thrawn."

"Chief Yal'avi'kema and his men on Assult One have already volunteered for the task and they are all I need."

Thrass sighed. "Very well. It's not as if I can you out of this, so I will relay all of this to the Eighth Ruling Family and somehow convince them it's a good idea."

"If anyone can, it's you Thrass. I appreciate your support."

"I may not always be able to do so and I wonder what you will do when that happens."

"On the day that happens my brother, I believe I will have to leave the Ascendancy and serve them from far away."

Thrass raised an eyebrow fractionally. "We shall see. I will let you get back to resting. It was a pleasure speaking with you again, Seni Ver'ath."

"Likewise, Syndic Mitth'ras'safis."

"Considering the circumstances, you may call me Thrass." He gave her a hint of a smile and left.

"So what do you think of my brother?"

"He's a lot more like you than I think he realizes."

Thrawn nodded. "Indeed. He chose politics after I joined the Defense Fleet because he thought someone from our family should be part of representation in a more local field. I always knew he would get far there, even if others scoffed at first because we both were commoners."

"I would have never guessed that you two were commoners. Must bother the Aristocra he has to treat you with respect."

"Yes, he doesn't attempt to hide that very well most of the time. I will not hold it against him, he is from the Fifth Ruling Family and there has always been an unofficial rivalry between our Families." He reset the game board. "Now I believe I was explaining the Vizier to you."

She smiled. "Yes, you were at the bit about him moving diagonally."


End file.
